The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) officially confirmed that the mysterious object known as 3I/ATLAS is an interstellar comet, putting an end to weeks of online speculation that it could be alien technology.
The announcement came during a briefing on Wednesday, November 19, where the space agency released new images signalling that the object displays all the features of a natural comet.
The recent U.S. government shutdown had delayed NASA’s ability to address the growing rumours about the object, which passed Mars last month.
NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya stated, “This object is a comet. It looks and behaves like a comet. And all evidence points to it being a comet.”
He confirmed that the agency aimed to find signs of life in the universe but stressed that 3I/ATLAS indicates no proof of being anything other than a natural space object.
More than a dozen instruments including the Hubble and James Webb have been utilised to study the comet in detail.
Nicola Fox, head of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, “We certainly haven't seen any technosignatures or anything from it that would lead us to believe it was anything other than a comet.”
First detected in July, the comet is believed to be older than the solar system. In mid-December, it is forecasted that the interstellar object will be closest approach to Earth, passing at a safe distance of 167 million miles, when it may be visible before dawn with binoculars or a telescope.